IKE Scenario 05-04 Verification of Procedures for Controlling Fecal Material in Poultry Slaughter Operations

This IKE Scenario illustrates how 01 and 02 HACCP verification tasks are performed and entered into PBIS in poultry slaughter establishments (including HIMP establishments) in accordance with the changes instituted by FSIS Directive 6420.2 Verification of Procedures for Controlling Fecal Material, Ingesta, and Milk in Slaughter Operations dated 3/31/04.   

You are a front line supervisor, whose circuit consists of several large poultry slaughter establishments, including one young chicken HIMP plant.  After receiving numerous questions on the implementation of FSIS Directive 6420.2, you realize there are several policy changes in verification procedures for compliance with regulation 381.65(e) and the Agency’s food safety standard on fecal material on which you need to correlate with inspection personnel in your circuit. You decide the best way to accomplish this is to hold a work unit meeting to discuss the new Directive.  You notify all the PHVs assigned to the poultry slaughter establishments in your circuit of the time and place of the work unit meeting.  

What are the points you discuss concerning FSIS Directive 6420.2?  

·    The Directive applies to all poultry slaughter establishments including HIMP plants.  The basic policies in this Directive supercede portions of HIMP Draft 7 for Young Chickens and HIMP Draft 3 for Turkeys .

·    Procedures for performing ten bird “zero tolerance” tests have not changed. 

·    The minimum number of “ten bird tests” conducted by inspection personnel has not changed.  Inspection personnel will continue to conduct two tests per line per shift in poultry non-HIMP poultry slaughter plants.  VI inspectors in HIMP plants will continue to conduct 8 tests per line per shift.

·    Compliance with 381.65(e) includes both carcasses and carcass parts.

·    Inspectors will perform associated verification procedures for parts prior to them entering the chill system including placing the parts into ice for chilling.  The amount of product examined and the frequency will be determined by the establishment’s HACCP plan. (NOTE: 9 CFR 417.5(a)(2) requires that the establishment maintain a written HACCP plan, including decision-making documents associated with the selection and development of the CCPs and critical limits, and documents that support both the monitoring and verification procedures selected and the frequency of those procedures. Because the establishment is required to have documents to support the monitoring procedures (amount of product examined), inspection program personnel should examine the same amount of product as the establishment has listed in the HACCP plan for the monitoring procedure. If the establishment does not have documents supporting the monitoring procedure and frequency, there is noncompliance with 9 CFR 417.5(a)(2).)

·    Verification procedures (03J01) will be entered into PBIS each time the ten-bird test is performed.  For example, in a large HIMP establishment with three lines “03J01” will be entered into PBIS a minimum of 24 times per shift (3 lines X 8 tests each).

·    Separate Noncompliance Records (NRs) will be documented for each procedure with a fecal finding. Contrary to HIMP Drafts 7 for Young Chickens and 3 for Turkeys , separate NRs will be documented for each FS-2 procedure, including those performed on the same lot.

·    As usual, an 03J02 procedure will be performed on the lot when the 03J01 verification procedure is noncompliant. Only one 03J02 procedure is performed per lot.

·    Subsequent ten-bird tests on the same lot will be entered in PBIS as separate 03J01 procedures, including when the plant has determined the lot to be the entire shift’s production.  

You thank the attending PHVs for their participation in the correlation and charge them to correlate these items with their inspectors, and also to discuss the important changes contained in FSIS Directive 6420.2 with plant management in their next joint weekly meeting.